Door-closing apparatus.



No. 679,952. Patentad Aug. 6, I901.

J. H. 600K.

0008 CLOSING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 190

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.

i emor No. 679,952.. Patented Aug. 6, I90l.

J. H. 000K.

DOOR CLOSING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

m'inesggz W QMKQK, fnz/elzfor 2 WWXW Ail UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. COOK, oEERooKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY B. NEWHALL, OF .PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

DOOR-CLOSING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 679,952, dated August 6, 1901. Application filed April 19, 1901. Serial No. 56.661. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. COOK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Door-Closing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the drawings accompanying and forming part of the same.

My invention relates to that class of doorclosing apparatus ,more particularly adapted for automatic thermal use, in which a hinged bolt is arranged to project into the path of travel of a door and to keep said door open while the thermal device is .intact and to move out of the line of travel of the door and release said door when the thermal devices are weakened or broken. Such devices, however, may be used inconnection with other door-closing devices than those operated thermally or automatically.

The particular feature of my invention consists in the arrangement of the parts of such a door-closing apparatus so that the sameis reversible and is adapted for use either in a right-hand or in a left-hand position, as do:

sired.

In the drawings I have illustrated my inapparatus now in general use, which form I have shown only for purposes of illustration, inasmuch as my invention may be equallywell applied to other forms of door-closing apparatus.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows in perspective the interior arrangement of such lock with my invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a view in detail of the levers of said lock. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the interior of a modified form of such lock, and Fig. 4 shows in detail the lever of such modification.

A is a plate suitably hinged, as at A, to a base or casing B. The plate A has one portion C that projects beyond the end of the plate. The base B is fastened to the jambs of a door in any suitable way, as by screws passing through the screw-holes B. When the lock is in position, the part 0 projects beyond the side of the door-jamb into the path of a sliding door that is hung on an inclined track and that is prevented from sliding into the closed position only by the projecting tongue 0, which may, if desired, be integral with the plate A. Preferably O is the end of a bolt 0, carried by the plate A and sliding thereon, as indicated in Fig. 1.

a is a slot in the plate, through which projects a stem 0 of the bolt 0, and a handle 0', by means of which the bolt may be moved back and forth. The arch D is at once a bearing for the bolt 0 and a means by which the levers, hereinafter described, hold the plate A and its projection 0 locked.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a double arrangement of levers in the casing B for securing and releasing the plate A, as desired. E is an arm having at one end a hub E, from both sides of whichextend pivots E E which work in suitable sockets A and R in the plate and in the casing. Near the other end of the arm E are corresponding projections E E on both sides of the arm, the outer one of which (shown square in Fig. l) is merelya spacing member to secure proper alinement of E in the casing. Near the same end of the arm bot-h faces thereof are outwardly and inwardly beveled, as shown at E E and E E, which said beveled surfaces are adapted to fit behind the beveled surfaces D D of the arch D when the lock is closed. The end E of the arm is arranged to slide back and forth in an inclined groove E", formed in the end of the casing B by the plate F, which groove limits the motion of the arm E. G is a link having similar ends G G, in which are sockets G G". H is another lever-arm having at one end a hub H from both sides of which pivots H H project, which work in sockets B B and A A in the base and plate, respectively. Near-this 0 end of said arm are the double projections ll H The curved upper end H of this arm passes through an opening B in the casing, and to it is fastened the thermal fuse-chain or other securing device L. The arms E and 5 H are joined by the link G, the projections E and H respectively fitting into the sockets G G on the opposite ends of the link. The arrangement is such that when the end H of the lever H is raised by the chain L the bev- 10o eled part E of the lever E is maintained in a raised position, and if the plate A is closed its beveled surface D will be behind the sur-. face E, and will thus be held securely locked and the plate A will be prevented from swinging open even under full pressure of the dooron the part When the lever H is dropped, as by the breaking of the chain L, the lever E falls slightly, releasing the plate A andallowing the door to cause it to swing on its hinges and the door itself to close. The bearing-surfaces D and E need not always be beveled or inclined; but this is in most instances desirable as insuring the prompt unlocking Y to this embodiment.

of the plate. J J represent a guard remov ably fastened by a screw J? to a block J, preventing the lever-arms E and H from falling from the sockets in the base B when the plate A is swung open. It is to be noticed that the pairs of sockets A A and B B not only correspond to each other respectively, but that each one is the same distance from the end and side of the plate or base. The same is true of the sockets A A and B B The levers E and H are made reversible, each pivot, projection,- and bearing in use when the levers are in the position shown in the drawing's being so arranged that said levers may be reversed and used on the opposite side of said lock. Each bearing of the plate A and ofthe casing B that comes in contactwith the levers is in duplicate and arranged to cooperate with the levers when reversed. The opening B is also in duplicate to permit the passage of the lever-arm H in eitherp'osition, and the groove E is similarly arranged in respect to the end E of the lever E. Thus it is evident that'the levers -E and H may be reversed and the lock be made to serve either as a right-hand or a'left-hand lock, as desired. This feature is of greatimportance in an apparatus of this sort. 1

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a simple form of reversible lock in -which only one lever is used. The plate A and its parts are the same as in Fig. 2 except that only one socket A need now be used, and the casing B isthe same as before except that only one socket B need be used and that the chainholes B B are slightly different in location. K is the single reversible lever, having hub K, duplicate pivots K K and duplicate bearings E E E E as before. kare eyes on opposite sides of the lever K, to which may be attached the chain L. This lever may thus be used on either side of the hearing of thehinged plate, and the lock thus re-' versed.

It is evident thatinstead of the casing and plate-carrying sockets for pivots on the levers the levers may be provided with sockets into which tit projections carried by the plate and easing.

While I have shown my invention as ap plied to a fire-door lock having a plate ofpeculiar shape hinged to a base of special construction, I do not intend to limit myself My invention is equally present in any locks of this sort having a removablebar, preferably a pivoted or hinged plate or bolt, carried on any base, said plate or bolt being successively secured and released by one or more levers controlled by a thermal chain or equivalent means, and said lever or levers and their bearings on the base and on the plate or bolt being reversible, so that the lock may readily be changed from a right-hand to a left-hand'lock, and vice versa. Many ways of embodying my invention will be apparent to those skilled .in this art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a doorclosing apparatus, a bar adapted to extend across the line of travel of the door, a locking device to hold said bar in position, a support upon which said bar and said locking device are movably mounted, duplicate bearings on said support upon either of which said locking device may be mounted, the coacting surfaces of said looking device and of said bar being reversible.

2. In a door-closing apparatus, a manuallymovable bar adapted to extend across the line of travel of a door, a guiding-piece in which said bar is movably mounted, a looking device to hold said guiding-piece in posi- .tion, a support upon which said locking device and said guiding-piece are movably mounted, duplicate bearings upon said sup port for said locking device, the engaging surfaces of the locking device and of the guiding-piece where the two coact being re versible.

3. In a door-closing apparatus, a movable bar adapted to extend across the line of travel of a door, a base-plate for securing said bar to a door-j'amb, a locking device for holding said bar in position and duplicate bearings for said locking device formed on said baseplate, said locking device being reversible.

45., In a door-closing apparatus, hinged doorretaining means, a locking device to hold said door-jamb, means for supporting and releasing the'locking device, duplicate bearings formedon saidsecuring means for said lockingdevice, said locking device and said retaining means and the engaging surfaces of said retaining meansand said locking device being reversible.

In a door-closing apparatus,hinged doorretaining means, a base for said retaining means, a lever, means for maintaining said lever in engagement with said retaining means and for releasing it therefrom, duplicate bearings on said retaining means for said lever, said lever and IIO : retaining means in position, securing means adapted to secure said retaining means-tea the engaging surfaces of said lever and said retaining means being reversible.

6 In a door-closing apparatus, a hinged plate, a sliding boltbarried thereon, a base to which said plate is hinged, a lever, means for maintaining said lever in engagement withsaid plate and for releasing it therefrom,

duplicate bearings formed in said plate for said lever and for the means formaintaining said lever in engagement with said plate, said lever and said maintaining means, and the coacting surfaces of said lever and plate being reversible.

7. In a door-closing apparatus, a hinged plate carrying a sliding bolt, a base to which said plate is hinged, a locking device for said plate, means for retaining the locking device, duplicate bearings formed in the base for said locking device, said locking device and retaining means and the coacting surfaces of said locking device and said plate being re Versible.

8. In a door-closing apparatus, a hinged plate carrying a sliding bolt, a base to which said plate is hinged, a lever removably pivoted in said base and engaging said plate when raised and releasing the same when lowered, said'lever being reversible and said lever, base and plate being provided with duplicate coacting bearings, and means for supporting and operating said lever, as and for the purposes aforesaid.

9. In a door-closing apparatus, a hinged plate carrying a sliding bolt, a base to which said plate is hinged, a lever removably pivoted in said base and engaging said plate when raised, and releasing the same when lowered, said lever being reversible, and said lever and base being provided with duplicate coacting bearings, and means for supporting and operating said lever, as and for the purposes aforesaid.

. 10. In a door-closing apparatus, a hinged plate carrying a sliding bolt, a base to which said plate is hinged, levers removably pivoted to said base and loosely connected with a reversible link, one of said levers engaging said plate when raised and releasing the same when lowered, said levers and link bein g provided with reversible bearings for said parts and for said base and plate, and means for supporting and operating said levers, as and for the purposes aforesaid.

11. In a door-closing apparatus, a casing having duplicate and correspondingopeniugs in the top and bottom faces, a front plate hinged to said casing and carrying a sliding bolt, said plate having a double-ended catch, a lever pivoted to said casing and having reversible surfaces engaging with either end of said catch, and means for supporting and operating said lever, as and for the purposes aforesaid.

12. In a door-closing apparatus, a casing having duplicate and corresponding openings in the top and bottom faces, a front plate hinged to said casing and carrying a sliding bolt, said plate having a double-ended catch, a system of reversible levers pivoted to said casing and to said plate and having surfaces adapted to engage either end of said catch, said levers and the bearings of the same on the casing and plate and on the catch being reversible, and mens for supporting and 0 perating said levers, as and for the purposes aforesaid.

13. In a door-closing apparatus, a casing having duplicate and corresponding openings in the top and bottom faces, a front plate hinged to said casing and carrying a sliding bolt, said plate having a double-ended catch, a lever pivoted to said casing and having reversible surfaces engaging with either end of said catch, and means for supporting and op erating said lever, and a guard-piece for said lever, as and for the purposes aforesaid.

14. In a door-closing apparatus, a hinged plate carrying a sliding bolt, a base to which said plate is hinged, a locking device for said plate, means for retaining the locking device in position, duplicate bearings formed in the base for said locking device, said locking device and retaining means and the coacting surfaces of said locking device and said plate being reversible and the coacting surfaces of said locking device and said plate being beveled.

15. In a door-closing apparatus, hinged door-retaining means, a base for said retaining means, a lever, means for maintaining said lever in engagement with said retaining means and for releasing it therefrom, duplicate bearings on said retaining means for said lever, said lever and the engaging surfaces of said lever and said retaining means being reversible and said engaging surfaces being beveled to permit the ready disengagement of said lever and said retaining means.

16. In a door-closing apparatus,a bar adapted to extend across the line of travel of the door, a locking device having a beveled per-- tion to hold said bar in position, a support upon which said bar and said locking device are movably mounted, duplicate hearings on said support upon either of which said looking device may be mounted, the coacting surfaces of said locking device and of said bar being reversible.

17. In a door-closing apparatus, a casing having duplicate and corresponding openings in the top and bottom faces, a front plate hinged to said casing and carrying a sliding bolt, said plate having a double-ended beveled catch, alever pivoted to said casing and having reversible, beveled surfaces engaging with either end of said catch, and means for supporting and operating said lever, as and for the purposes aforesaid.

JOHN H. COOK.

\Vitnesses:

THOMAS L. 0001:, FRED B. 000K. 

